Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979) was an American circus performer, who created the clown character "Weary Willie", based on the hobos of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979) was an American circus performer, who created the clown figure “Weary Willie,” based on the hobos of the Great Depression in the 1930s. According to Charles W. Carey, Jr.: Kelly’s creation of Weary Willie revolutionized professional clowning and made him the country’s most familiar clown.

Emmett Kelly, one of the great American circus clowns, best known for his role as Weary Willie, a mournful tramp that Kelly, as a young cartoonist, originally created as a cartoon character. In 1942 Kelly joined the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, from which he retired in 1956.

Emmett Kelly was born on 9 December 1898 in Sedan, Kansas, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for General Electric Theater (1953), Wind Across the Everglades (1958) and The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). He was married to Elvira Gebhardt, Mildred Richey and Eva Mae Moore (actress). He died on 28 March 1979 in Sarasota, Florida, USA.